Soul Black
by Temp-Err
Summary: She appeared one night like a peasant right off the streets, dirt plastered onto her body like a second skin. Her care free disposition was grating and Falcar wasn't sure how long he would be able to cope with this new intriguing associate. Hero X Falcar
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: **This fan-fiction is intended as a one-shot though it might turn into a real story, tell me if you want it to be continued and what sort of stuff you want to happen. I like it when people give me ideas for things, makes my job easier oh ho ho. This is intended as a FalcarXFHero story, however as with most of my stories involving OC's I will leave out any drastic detail so you can somewhat envision your own female character in the role. Of course there a certain things that have to be mentioned so it will be safe to assume the Hero in this story is not an Orc, Argonian or Khajiit. Sorry folks, also I'm just going to refer to her has 'hero' since I can just imagine Falcar being patronising to her. Anyway enough of the authors not I hear you yelling, on with the story.

* * *

"Mister Falcar, Mister Falcar". Heavy footsteps pounded down the halls of the Cheydinhal Mages guilds inviting numerous amounts of raised eyebrows from its few members. Deetsan looked up from her position on the bench; she had been sitting there for a few hours now taking the quietness of the early morning as a means to catch up on her reading. However it seemed their newest associate, Vidkun, had other ideas on how to spend ones morning.

"You're in early today Vidkun, have you gotten any more recommendations yet"? Her scaled features twisted into a friendly smile, her orange eyes heavily lidded as always yet somehow warm. Vidkun stopped mid-step and did a dramatic turn, a triumphant look on his face which suggested she was correct in her assumption.

"Ah well done Vidkun, so I'm also guessing that means you're here to talk to Falcar"? She tried to mask the resentment in her voice at the mention of the lead Altmer's name. Falcar had been head of their guild for a few months now and hadn't exactly worked his way into the hearts of its members, at first they had just thought him aloof and possibly a little shy but now it was obvious the man felt less emotion than a dead mudcrab.

"You got it". Vidkun practically beamed energy has he pranced over to Deetsan's side, plonking down beside and kicking out his legs making himself very much at home. "It was a breeze getting that recommendation from Bruma, all I had to do was find this poxy missing Khajiit". He stretched out his arms and threw them behind his head, relaxing onto the wall and letting out a sigh. "I'm thinking I'm getting used to this Associate stuff".

Deetsan smiled affectionately and patted the young man on the shoulder. "Don't get to ahead of yourself Vidkun, that was only your first recommendation, I think you'll find others a little more tasking". She went back to her book, gently turning the page with a clawed hand before tracing a finger down till she came to the part she needed.

"So is Mister Falcar around". Vidkun leant forwards and glanced around the room, his head bobbing a little. "He said once I got a recommendation from another Mages Guild he'd consider writing one himself". The sound of crinkling pages filled the near empty halls; Deetsan turned another few pages before closing the book shut.

"Did he now". The question seemed more rhetorical than an actual enquiry; Deetsan turned her attention to the brown hair man and lowered her voice to a whisper, just in case. "Vidkun, please be careful okay, and if you run into any trouble come to me straight away". The corner of Vidkun's lips turned upwards and into a grin, he lurched forwards and flipped up.

"Thanks Deetsan". The man raised a hand and waved it from side to side as he began to walk towards the building's basement where the moody Altmer spent most of his days. "I think I'll buy ten sweet roles after I pass this test". He opened the basement door and walked down the steps.

"And I'll eat them all at once". The door slammed shut.

And that was the last time anyone saw Vidkun.

Falcar's slender fingers tapped against the oak wood of the dining room table, a few radishes rolled around in the otherwise empty fruit bowel. He glanced at the grandfather clock which was placed in the north corner. "Eleven o'clock". He felt remarkably stupid as he reciprocated the time to himself, but heck there was nothing else to do around here. Everyone else had gone to bed and there was only so much research he could do before he began to go cross-eyed from staring at books all day.

"Falcar"? The man in question leapt from his position at the table and flung himself away from the source of the voice, positioning himself against the wall as if ready for a fight. Instead he was met with the ever calm gaze of his second in command Deetsan, whose expression looked half-way between amused and astonished. "I apologise, I did not mean to startle you". There was a laugh laced within her voice, she no doubt found his reaction all too amusing considering his usual stoic stature.

"I was simply lost in thought; some of us do work around here". Falcar snapped at the argonian, his left hand twitching and clenching, flames heating the tips of his fingers just daring to explode out and burn that smile off her face.

"Yes you looked possibly vexed which was why I approached you". Deetsan brought her hands out and clasped them in front, trying to make an open stance so as to not scare Falcar off. The high elf may have been as warm as a block of ice but it was her nature to try and loosen people up and get to know her fellow mages, they were going to be working together and the current distance between them wasn't helping run the guild as smoothly as she liked. "Is there anything troubling you Falcar, you've been less talkative than usual the past few days and some of the guild members are worried". A blatant lie if there ever was one, and Falcar did not appreciate the sentiment at all.

"No there is no trouble; if your friends are worried then that is their problem". He basically growled out at the smaller woman who lowered her head and tensed up at being spoken to in such a manner.

"Well if you are sure, you've been taking a lot of the work sent from the council on yourself; usually the work is separated out equally so we all have an input". Deetsan walked over to the table and picked up one of the radish and giving it a quick look over before popping it in her mouth.

"One would think you and your group would enjoy the extra time to do nothing". Falcar watched her eat the radish in slight disgust; he detested the things and was somewhat uncomfortable eating with someone watching him. Deetsan chewed on the radish for a while and then swallowed, giving Falcar that look which suggested she had something very important to ask him.

"Have you seen Vidkun lately, last time I spoke to him he said he was going to be doing a task for you". Her eyes were purposefully intense and suspicious, within right, people didn't just disappear and Falcar was the last one to see him.

"Vidkun, was he that idiot associate"? He paused briefly to raise his head a little in a pompous manner so he was looking down his nose at Deetsan. "Last time I saw him he was going to retrieve a lost ring of mine, the moron hasn't returned yet so I'm just assuming he failed or gave up". Falcar sighed in a bored manner, trying to show Deetsan just how little he cared about this conversation.

"If he can't even receive a ring from a well then he is hardly going to flourish in the mages guild".  
Deetsan was about to reply when she heard the front door of the guild open, the hinges creaking and soon followed by the loud footsteps of heavy boots and the squeaking as the trod on the floor. It must have been raining outside and the expression on Falcar's face was a picture as he seemed to envision their visitor trekking in muddy foot print. He flew from the dining room like a bat out of hell and stormed into the entrance room where a young woman now stood caked from head to toe in mud and water, her hair curling and sticking to her flushed face. "Hey". She spoke nonchalantly, waving and smiling as she removed her helmet and dumped it on the floor, her hair now completely messy and matted.

"Who the hell are you"? Falcar looked about ready to scale the distance between them and wrap his hands around her neck, throttling the life out of her. The woman did not answer his question straight away; instead she bent down and began to pry off her muddy leather boots, chucking them next to the helmet. She then removed her greaves and body armour so she was left in a rather common outfit that was just as soaked and grim ridden. "I'm the hero of Kvatch, but my real name is-". She was cut off.

"Hero of Kvatch, so you're that woman who closed the Oblivion gate and 'saved' the poor citizens"? Falcar raised both eyebrows evidentially not all that impressed with her entrance or her deeds. "Don't tell me you came her seeking to join the mages guild, surely someone of you celebrity status is above that"? The Hero just smiled even when faced with such a patronising remark.

"Well actually yes that is exactly what I intended to do, the guild is open to new recruits isn't it, besides I've already got recommendations from every other guild hall". She smiled in a cocky manner and began to try and rake some of her fingers through her hair to tame the mess and pull out any loose dirt.

"Ah so you are the new associate, I've heard about you from Chorrol, they were very pleased with you and I've heard glowing remarks from the other guilds". Deetsan appeared in the doorway, smiling pleasantly at the new recruit who was still struggling in the battle between her and her hair. Deetsan laughed a little, she certainly wasn't what she expected, a lot less fierce and scary and more endearing. "My dear you are welcome to use our facilities here if you desire a bath, all associates are free to roam the guild". A glare from Falcar forced her to add a little to the end. "Except for Falcar's room and study of course".

"Yeah please, that road from Anvil sure is dangerous; I got attacked three times by bandits and five times by bears and wolves". Her laugh was a little unsettling; surely being attacked was a bad thing. Deetsan walked forwards and picked up the girls discarded items, making sure to keep them at arm's length to avoid getting covered in dirt herself.

"I'll take these down to the laundry room; one of the lower members will wash them in the morning for you". The argonian walked off with the items and headed down the stairs leaving her alone with a now extremely upset look altmer.

"You okay there"? She blinked in what he considered a stupid manner. "You look a little shell-shocked". Another stupid look. "Bad day at work huh"? She gave a knowing nod and weakly punched him in the arm, for a second Falcar might have actually burst into flames.

He quickly calmed himself down and pulled out of her reach, walking towards the basement without another word. She watched as he opened the door and closed it, his light steps becoming lighter till he was out of earshot. "Strange man". The Hero of Kvatch walked off herself towards the bathing facilities, the idea of a nice warm bath soothing her soul and putting a little skip in her step.

* * *

I am so sorry for the length of this chapter, I wrote it a few weeks ago when the story was still fresh in my mind and never got around to finishing it. So consider it a short prologue if you will. This story, as with all my stories still pending, will be completed at a sporadic pace. I tend to flit in and out of obsessions and am currently a little hooked on other games at the moment so am writing stories about them. However I will soon come back to Oblivion so if you want to continue reading this story don't fret, there will be updates. **- Temp**


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: **I never realised how confusing it is to start writing a chapter one week and finish it the next, you forget what you have already mentioned and if you have proof read it at all. Hence there were so many grammar and spelling mistakes in the first chapter that I was tempted to shove my head in the sand and never come out. But alas that is such a waste of a life. I really do try to proof reading everything but due to my dyslexia (a very mild form mind you so its no excuse really), I tend to look over things, I have this nasty habit of randomly spelling words how they sound, or typing words in backwards since I read things from right to left. Weird I know, I'm a strange creature.

But I want to thank everyone who reviewed and those who pointed out the mistakes, and of course ask that if you see any more you tell me so I can change them. XD Don't let my awful writing skills go unpunished.

* * *

The sun wasn't exactly the kindest of alarms, especially when your room was located in the basement and thus such a thing was impossible. It either meant the building had been destroyed and you were now sleeping in a pit or, for a more likely possibility, you had fallen asleep somewhere other than your room, which in itself could lead to embarrassment. But then taking into account the fact you had spent much of the earlier hours immersing yourself in books and translations, the prospect of being a little embarrassed was outweighed slightly by ones desire to sleep. And Falcar most certainly wanted nothing more than to sleep right now, he happened to be very comfortable resting his head on the crook of his elbow, the other arm bent up to shield his face and keep in the warmth that the cold Cyrodiil winter refused to allow easily. The crackling of the fire was also awfully pleasant and adding just the right amount of ambience to make the whole situation perfect, if he could have his way he would spend the rest of his life like this. But it seemed in these times Falcar didn't often get his way and the peace was short lived as the opening of a door grabbed him from his sleep and jolted him awake.

He wasn't entirely sure who had entered the room for a second, he had a rather helpful talent of being able to tell a person just by their footsteps. Most of the guild members in his guildhall had very heavy footsteps that were obvious and often completely in time with one another, they were large and meaningful strides that changed from a slow pace, which meant nothing really, to a faster pace that meant they were currently doing something very important. These footsteps however he couldn't pick out, they were gentle and quiet and the pace very out of sync, as if the person was approaching cautiously and haulting constantly between strides. "Hello?" Falcar damned himself for speaking, if it was an attacker he has just successfully given his complete location away. He stood up quickly and marched over to the large stone door frame that lead into the main hall, the person had come from the living quarters but was at the moment no where in sight. His mouth twisted into a grimace and for a moment he wondered if he had imagined it. "Perfect, so now your imagining things." He muttered to himself. An 'ahem' from above him caused a cat like reaction in Falcar, the man leapt a mile before raising his hands in dangerous flick ready to blast whoever had startled him with a fist full of fire.

"Imagining things huh, isn't that the first sign of madness or something?" The girl from the previous night chuckled, leaning over the banister of the second floor balcony, apparently making herself at home. "No wait that was talking to yourself wasn't it? Well either way you just ticked both boxes." She let out another annoying laugh and rocked backwards, her bed hair curling upwards, the tell tale signs she had herself not long woken up. "Things aren't looking good for you are they"?

"Based solely on my current situation and company, no, things don't look good at all." Falcar gave her a gruff response and turned around walking back into the part of the building he had previously been, and slept in. He began to pick things up from the table, quickly grabbing pieces of strewn paper with scribbles that made no sense, as of the moment. He shoved them into a messy pile and tucked them under his arm, then grabbing the book he had also been translating. He walked back into the main hall and towards the door that led to the living quarters, not even giving the girl above a glimpse. As soon as Falcar's hand touched the door handle a gust of wind behind him alerted him to the sudden close proximity she had just gained. He turned to look at the strange girl who was now stood not a two feet from him, staring at him with her big and awfully piercing eyes. "What?" He managed to cough out quickly before it became apparent she had caught him off his guard.

"Nothing, just wanted to test your speed." The girl took a step back to give him more space. "Before when I scared you." He could have killed her there for suggesting such a thing. "You reacted really quickly, If you'd have actually fired an attack at me I'm not sure I could have moved quick enough to avoid it." She smiled, an odd thing to do when talking about the possibility of being grievously hurt. "It's not very often someone surprises me like that, I'm impressed and slightly intrigued." Falcar wasn't sure he liked her tone and responded by swinging the door open and storming off down the stairs leaving her now concealed behind the wooden contraption.

"Charmed but I assure my intentions were to neither impress nor intrigue you." The Altmer refused to look back even as he heard her quickening footsteps behind him, he turned abruptly and headed towards his room and study, walking a little faster. He unlocked the door and walked inside slamming it before she could get another word in. Falcar glared daggers at the wood as he listened, he could still hear her outside pacing the small room which linked to all the other rooms in the lower floor.

"Are you okay?" He recognised the females voice. Ewn? Uran? No Uurwen, not like it mattered really.

"Yeah I'm fine, just waiting for Falcar to come out, we're going to go get some breakfast Newlands Lodge." The High Elf could have laughed out loud at such a ridiculous idea, where on earth did she get off thinking he'd even consider dining with her of all people. And dining at that Dark Elf place was just as stupid, it's owner Dervera was a brutish lout of a woman.

"Oh really." He could tell by the Bosmer's tone that she was surprised by it. "Well I wont intrude any further, have fun you two." The woman giggled at the end of her sentence, a girlish giggle that set alarm bells off in Falcar's head. She couldn't possibly think the woman was telling the truth.

"Now wait just a minute." Falcar flung the door open intending to slap the goofy smile straight of the woman's face. His dramatic attempt was halted however as she easily swooped to the side and caught his arm with his, dragging him downwards a little making them link arms. Uurwen clamped a hand over her mouth as she was walking away, at loss as to what to say. As soon as she was out of sight Falcar shoved the woman next to him hard making her topple and have to grab the opposing wall to stop herself falling over. "I suggest you leave right now before I report you to the Arcane University, if you have any hopes of joining the guild that is." He could feel himself going red in the face with anger as he continued his rampage. "I do not accept such obvious attempts at undermining my authority and disrespecting-," her laughter cut him off. "D-disrespecting, okay exactly what is so funny?" She was almost beside herself with laughter now.

"You, oh by the nine divines." She had to brace herself on the door to try and calm down, Falcar waited with a mixture of irritation and contempt. "I'm sorry, it's just you reminded me so much of some one I once new". She whipped a tear from her eye, her cheeks glowing red from such a fit of laughter. "And I also apologise if you thought I was 'obviously attempting to undermine your authority'." He didn't believe her not one bit, but she carried on anyway. "I guess it was just my childish way to get your attention since my good looks and charm didn't seem to work." There was an awkward silence. "Yeah that was a joke, you were supposed to laugh there." Falcar's expression didn't shift from its current unimpressed one. "You really are a sour-puss aren't you, you know my mum used to say that a good sense of humour might not get you anything grand in life but it will certainly make the path less treacherous."

"Considering you're her daughter I don't doubt the lack of grandness for a second."

"She's died a few months ago you know?" She responded quickly giving him the look of a puppy that had just been kicked.

"No I did not know and nor do I care." A second kick and just as quick response.

"That was a lie she lives in Morrowind, I was just testing to see if there was lift in there." The beaten puppy expression vanished within and instant and was replaced with a bored smile. "Conclusion, zero life." She made a zero sign with her finger and thumb.

"But speaking about life has made me hungry, we should probably head over to the Inn before it gets full, I hear she's making sweat rolls for breakfast." She spun around enthusiastically before catching a glimpse of herself in a mirror. "My gods you could have told me my hair was such a mess." She began to attack her hair with her fingers to try to untangle it and straighten it down. "Or do you just enjoy watching me suffer, you damn sadist?"

"In order to give you an accurate answer I'd have to actually consider your feelings for more than five seconds." Falcar raised and eyebrow as she bent forwards and began to comb the underlying layers of her hair. "Now I don't have time for your games, I need to get back to my work."

"Oh you mean that book about Necromancy, yeah I had a look at it while you were asleep, not many people can understand that old writing." She was now back up the right way and looking over Falcar with a calm gaze. He had stopped walking back into his room and was now staring at her with an unreadable emotion in his eyes. He guessed from her casual use of the word 'Necromancy' she wasn't aware of the new law condemning it, either that or she was just as absent minded as he first assumed.

"Yes the book about Necromancy, and yes not many people understand the ancient writings, which is why I am surprised that you do." His look was scrutinising, like he was convinced she was attempting the play him for a fool. "How do you know how?"

"Well I wouldn't say I was an expert, but my Dad taught me about it when I was young, I only know some of the symbols but I guessed from some of the passages in it that it was about Necromancy." She mustered out a laugh. "I can't think of many other topics that would use death so many times in single paragraph."

Falcar practically swept into his room and grabbed the book, charging back out and thrusting it into her chest. "You want a recommendation from the guild, correct?" His question seemed more rhetorical. "Then translate the passages in this marked in red." He pushed the book even harder into her until she grasped it in her own hands.

"Erh, like I said I'm not fluent or anything so I doubt I'll be able to translate everything." She held the old black book out and glanced across the faded cover, running a slim finger down the embellished book which once might have been quite pretty.

"That doesn't matter, I just need to basics on it, single words will do." Falcar sounded almost frantic as he spoke to her, the first real bit of emotion he had shown. The hero took a hesitant step back, a little wary of the morbid look that had crawled its way across the man's face. She had seen the look before and was all too familiar with what kind of person possessed it, thus she didn't respond.

"Can you do it or not?" Falcar pulled back a little and composed himself, his coldness now back as if he hadn't just had a mini-freak out. He observed as the girl pass the book from hand to hand, making loud contemplative noises and humming out 'hmmm' every second or so until finally she spoke.

"I'll tell you what Falcar." She tucked the book under her arm and grinned. "I'll help you translate it but only if we can work together." She moved her free hand onto her hip and raised both eyebrows, awaiting his response.

Falcar crossed his arms and met her look of defiance with his own look of dissatisfaction, the two stared each other down until finally Falcar dropped his shoulders and gave up. "That seems reasonable." His sentence drowned off as she jumped up into the air for a victory pose and then landed bringing the book back out.

"Then consider us partners." The woman pulled the book open and began to turn the fraying pages until she came to a section that had been marked in red. "So I guess we'll start with this section first, how to make black soul gems."

Falcar smirked for a quick moment before letting it disappear. "That's fine by me." The sudden realisation that he would finally get to work on the black soul gems was a little over whelming, but he did well to hide it, besides this girl was obviously a moron. It wouldn't take much to deceive and use her, then when the time came he would simply kill her off.

"So to Newlands then?" She derailed his train of thought and gestured with a nodding of her head that they should leave. The Altmer sighed once again and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Yes I guess Newlands it is." If he was to keep her as an ally then he'd have to pander to her attention seeking methods, as mundane as it may be. He walked steadily after and the duo soon exited the Mages Guild and came into the streets of Cheydinhal. Falcar watched as his new ally trudged down the stone steps and marched briskly into the foggy streets, nearly walking straight into one of the guards.

"Watch it would you, I don't know you and I don't care to know you but if you get in my way I'll have to fined for purposefully trying to intrude on a current investigation." The angry guard Captain by the name of Ulrich Leland yelled at her before walking off towards Aldos Othran's house. Falcar heard something about a property being seized and instantly lost interest.

"I hate that guy." She grumbled to herself as she continued walking towards the Inn.

"I think everyone does." He replied.

"Get out of my way before I have you slapped in irons." She did an impersonation of him which warranted a low laugh from Falcar.

"So there is life in there?" Her face brightened up and Falcar just gave her a light smile in response.

_Silly girl_

* * *

Echo cave was silent albeit for the dripping sound of water that could be heard all through out, dark figures paced the stone tunnels soundlessly and without comment. Within the deepest reaches of the structure a tall figure sat on a throne of bones, his own skeletal arm outstretched and holding a glass orb that shone filling the room with the only source of light.

"So, is everything in place?" The skeleton man's voice was low, nought but a whisper. The hooded disciples in front of him nodded in unison.

"Perfect, travel to the Wellspring cave, once there you know your orders". He chuckled darkly, spinning the orb delicately around his fingers at an inhuman speed.

"Master, if I may be so bold as to enquire, what do you intend to do about the girl, the one who's power you sensed?" One of the minions spoke out in a quiet shaky voice. "Is she not a threat?"

"Not yet, but she may be, but then if all goes according to plan her power will soon be mine." The King of Worms let the orb stop, an image of the Hero reflected in its silver light. "She is a fascinating creature and one I wish to study further."

"But if we meet her, how do we proceed?" A second of the shadowy figures spoke, this one a little more confident than the first.

"However you see fit." Mannimarco's response was chilling, he knew if they provoked her into combat they would fall under her blade, but he always had more people to follow and was never short of minions. They weren't of any value, he couldn't always reanimate them or make more if he needed.

"Children, listen as the shadows cross your sleepy hutch, and the village sleeps away, streets emptied of the crowds." The King of Worms rocked to the side on his throne, spinning the orb once again.

"And the moons do balefully glare through the nightly clouds." The orb stopped.

"And the graveyards people rest, we hope, in eternal sleep." Mannimarco stepped forwards, his voice dreary and out of this world as he recited the poem.

"Listen and you'll here the whispered tap of footsteps creep". His fingers outstretched and the orb was soon on fire, the material turning a raw red and burning into his palm.

"Then pray you'll never feel the Worm Kings awful touch". The King of Worms dropped the orb and watched as it smashed, marvelling as the shards scattered across the floor killing any light it gave off.

"Go now, and leave no survivors." Mannimarco flicked a dismissive hand causing the nearby torches to flare up and light there way. "You know how I hate survivors."

* * *

Well what did you think? That took me about two hours to write but I think it was okay. I just couldn't resist bringing Mannimarco in at the end and if you're wondering about the poem it's from one of the books in Oblivion. You can find the full poem online if you like, it's really cool and slightly sinister. Mannimarco will be playing a major role in this as you might have guessed but I also intend to try and give every character from the Mage's Guild quest a sight cameo, they need love and so many good character's are ignored. You know the drill, review for me my lovelies and Mannimarco may spare you when he destroys the Mages guild. 83

**I'm kidding...he will destroy you all either way.**


End file.
